Friday, August 22, 2008

As far as yeast bread recipes go, this one is easy peasy lemon squeezy. Really, I want you to trust me, it’s easy. The ingredients aren't weird and they are easy to find in the grocery store. Give this a go. There is something so satisfying about being able to fill your house with the amazing aroma of homemade bread.

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and stir till the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased surface, oil your hands, and knead it for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it begins to become smooth and supple. You may also knead this dough in an electric mixer or food processor, or in a bread machine programmed for "dough" or "manual." Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise till puffy though not necessarily doubled in bulk, about 60 minutes, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface, and shape it into an 8-inch log. Place the log in a lightly greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan, cover the pan loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the bread to rise for about 1 hour, or until it's crowned about 1 inch above the edge of the pan. A finger pressed into the dough should leave a mark that rebounds slowly.

Bake the bread in a preheated 350°F oven for about 40 minutes, tenting it lightly with aluminum foil after 20 minutes. Test it for doneness by removing it from the pan and thumping it on the bottom (it should sound hollow), or measuring its interior temperature with an instant-read thermometer (it should register 190°F at the center of the loaf). Remove the bread from the oven, and cool it on a wire rack before slicing. Store the bread in a plastic bag at room temperature.

Mallory, no it isn't Mom's recipe. It never turns out for me. I think it is the elevation.

Trish, King Arthur makes a great wheat flour. In fact, this is their recipe. And yes you should make bread. No preservatives. Although I think you should buy bread so you can preserve Ava in her current state.